We have expert nutritionists and functional medicine practitioners specialising in type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, weight loss and overall cardiometabolic health.

A Nutrition, Lifestyle, & Functional Medicine Approach to Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes is on the rise and is said to be the fastest growing health threat of our times. In the UK alone around 3 million people have been diagnosed with diabetes, which is a 100% increase in the last 20 years.

Some of us are more genetically predisposed to developing diabetes than others, however this does not mean you have to accept this as an inevitability. Whilst our genes load the gun, our nutrition and lifestyle habits pull the trigger.

Functional Medicine looks at the root causes behind type 2 diabetes. It helps you to navigate those areas such as nutrition, sleep, stress/emotions, movement etc. We also support you in making lasting behaviour changes, ensuring this is not a short-term fix.

We also run laboratory tests to understand the risks, guide the recommendations and monitor progress from the interventions provided to you. Unfortunately, typical testing is often limited to looking at your glucose levels and HbA1c. This carries with it significantly limitations, particularly when looking at preventing type 2 diabetes as early as possible by detecting issues of insulin resistance.

Functional Medicine Approach To Type 2 Diabetes

Interested in working with one of our type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance specialists?

Why do you have high blood glucose levels?

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Production

The body produces glucose in the liver. This can come from storage forms of carbohydrate, known as glycogen or it can also be created from proteins and fats. This can then be released by the liver into the blood stream. This process is triggered by a hormone called glucagon and when sugar levels are low or need stabilising this process is crucial. However, chronic increases in glucagon can contribute to chronically elevated levels of blood sugar.

Stress hormones are another factor. Whether the stress is psychological such as our daily demands and emotions or physiological such as exercise or an illness, glucose levels can temporarily increase as a result. There are also certain medications that mimic the effects of the stress hormone cortisol, and this also results in increased glucose levels.

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Consumption

This points more towards the foods that we eat. Whilst we can still effectively make glucose out of proteins and fats, a significant influence on our glucose levels is what we eat, especially the carbohydrate quantity and quality.

Higher carbohydrate foods from starches and sugars will raise glucose levels more than proteins, fats, and fibres.

When one has insulin resistance and diabetes, part of managing that will be managing the balance of foods consumed, especially the quality and quantity of carbohydrates consumed. This is where our expert nutritionists are on hand to support your dietary changes.

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Clearance

This refers to how efficient we are at clearing glucose from the blood and using it as energy or delivering that glucose to the muscle and liver where it can be stored as glycogen to be used later.

Here are just a few things that influence glucose clearance:

  • Insulin production – Influenced by many factors.
  • Muscle activity and ability to store more glycogen.
  • The sensitivity of our cells to insulin
  • Liver and kidney function

Our Functional Medicine approach means we can understand what might be impacting on clearance and put things in place that improve this area.

Our Functional Medicine approach means we can understand what might be impacting on clearance and put things in place that improve this area.

Interested in working with one of our type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance specialists?

How our Nutritionists & Functional Medicine Practitioners can help you reverse type 2 diabetes naturally.

Danny With Client Consultation

The good news is that there is so much that can be done to help overcome diabetes and what is known as insulin resistance naturally.

Diabetes tends to occur in stages:

  1. Insulin Resistance
  2. Prediabetes
  3. Type 2 diabetes
  4. Type 2 diabetes further complications such as cardiovascular disease, neuropathy etc

Lifestyle intervention is shown to have the greatest impact in reducing the occurrence of type 2 diabetes. Here are the foundational areas that we work on to overcome and prevent type 2 diabetes.

Weight management to help type 2 diabetes
Weight Management Icon

Weight gain substantially increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and even modest weight loss significantly reduces the risk. For someone who is overweight, each kg of weight gained yearly over a 10-year period is associated with a 49% increase in risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the subsequent 10 years. However, each kg of weight loss annually over 10 years is associated with a 33% lowered risk of type 2 diabetes in the subsequent 10 years.

Weight reduction along with diet and exercise intervention, reduces the incidence of type 2 diabetes by 58%. A 5-10% reduction in body weight significantly reduces blood glucose levels, decreases use of diabetes medication, and improves a variety of factors: overall fitness, depression symptoms, sleep quality, cardiovascular risk factors and reducing blood pressure medication use.

Whilst there are medications being utilised for weight loss and diabetes available. The research is clearly showing that to come off these medications and sustain the achieved weight loss and metabolic benefits, changes in one’s nutrition and lifestyle are required. Without this, there is a very strong possibility the weight lost, and metabolic benefits achieved are reversed. We support clients whether they choose to utilise a more medicalised approach to weight loss or not.

Interested in working with one of our type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance specialists?

Advanced considerations for the management of type 2 diabetes and Insulin resistance

Gut Health, Our Microbiome & Type 2 Diabetes
Gut Health, Our Microbiome & Type 2 Diabetes
Mitochondrial Health & Type 2 Diabetes
Mitochondrial Health & Type 2 Diabetes
GLP-1 & Type 2 Diabetes
GLP-1 & Type 2 Diabetes
Inflammation & Type 2 Diabetes
Inflammation & Type 2 Diabetes
Genetics & Type 2 Diabetes
Genetics & Type 2 Diabetes
Hormonal Changes, Imbalances & Type 2 Diabetes
Hormonal Changes, Imbalances & Type 2 Diabetes
Bile Acids & Type 2 Diabetes
Bile Acids & Type 2 Diabetes
Glucagon & Type 2 Diabetes
Glucagon & Type 2 Diabetes
Immunity & Type 2 Diabetes
Immunity & Type 2 Diabetes

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